Newly Diagnosed

Hello and sorry you had to find us but you will find answers and friends here. The hardest time of all is exactly where your at right now, not knowing all the answers and fear and we can all remember exactly how that feels. When I was diagnosed it was exactly like yours one large mass not at all bumps it just felt heavy and strange and the mass inside was over 40mm so just about the whole thing! The operation normally is in out with a limp and some discomfort but nothing you can’t handle, little tip though the drugs can make you bit constipated and that’s not good idea where stitches are so prevention better than cure. After that your next option is to store sperm as further treatment if necessary can harm your little swimmers. After ten days it’s off for scan nothing dramatic in that you lie down get some contrast to help them see clearly and it’s done in five mins. After that more waiting I’m afraid this part is brutal as your brain goes round and round what ifs. Reality is if any spread then your in line for treatment three cycles over twelve weeks now this is definitely not pleasant but very very effective or you might need nothing further than regular checks or may be given option of one dose of treatment over one day to reduce chance of spread later. But whilst waiting on any results please stay off google you will only increase anxiety unnecessarily. Remember odds are at your age it will be seminoma which is easiest to treat and overall odds of beating this in the high 90%.

Hope this helps 

Kind regards 

Dougie

Thanks Dougie for your reply. I'm going to keep all you said in mind. You have made me feel better now. Yes i will probably have my moments again but as days go on im sure it well get easier. 

Thanks Again 

Tim 

Remember never feel alone through this! Any question you have I can promise someone will be able to answer here. I know it is difficult but if I could go back and give one piece of advice to myself when I found out it would certainly be to limit the worry I put myself through, it was exhausting. Let me know how things go remember keep wound nice and clean and dry keep moving and find as many things to stimulate your mind to avoid over thinking as you can.

Dougie

Hi Tim,

Sorry you find yourself here, but welcome.

The initial diagnosis is always a shock.  I don’t think there is a person alive who would simply take this in their stride.  Everything you are feeling is normal.  But, let’s try to allay those fears......

95% of us are here 5 years later.  And if you are a stage 1 seminoma, it actually increases your chances of being alive in 5 years time.  Having cancer makes it 101% likely you will be alive in 5 years, that’s versus the normal population, as you will receive closer medical attention. Cancer increases chances of being alive, who knew!

The waiting at the start is very hard, you want to know it hasn’t spread everywhere and that might take 6 weeks from initial diagnosis. 

You have done your bit, found a lump and seen your doctor.  

The most curable cancer.  Remember that.

take care

dan